The Accra High Court has handed down a life sentence to Richard Appiah, a former footballer and draughtsman, after a seven-member jury found him unanimously guilty on two counts of murder in connection with the brutal 2021 killings of two boys in Abesim, in the Bono Region of Ghana.
The verdict, delivered on 24 February 2026, brings formal closure to a case that shocked the nation and drew intense scrutiny for more than four years after the gruesome discovery of the victims’ remains in and around Appiah’s residence.
Appiah, who was 28 at the time of the murders, was convicted of killing 12-year-old Louis Agyemang Jnr believed to be his stepbrother and 15-year-old Stephen Sarpong, a family friend’s son. The High Court’s life sentence reflects the severity and brutality of the offences.
Gruesome discovery and arrest
The case first came to public attention in August 2021, when reports of two missing boys prompted a community-led search in Abesim, near Sunyani. Acting on a tip-off from residents, police searched Appiah’s home, where they uncovered horrifying evidence of the murders. One victim’s body parts were found in a refrigerator inside Appiah’s living quarters, a discovery that sparked widespread shock and condemnation. Additional remains, including intestines believed to belong to one of the victims, were later unearthed on a nearby cocoa farm.
Two bloodstained machetes were also recovered at the scene, further incriminating Appiah in the killings. The brutality of the crime and the manner in which the remains were concealed horrified residents and triggered nationwide outrage.
At the time of his arrest, Appiah was described in media reports as a footballer and sports commentator, though later clarifications established that he was not registered with the Ghana Institute of Architects, despite initial claims to that effect. Investigations identified him more precisely as a draughtsman and former player with Okumapem FC.
Lengthy trial and defence strategy
Appiah’s trial commenced in 2022 under the supervision of Justice Ruby Aryeetey at the Accra High Court. Throughout the proceedings, Appiah pleaded not guilty to the charges. His legal team advanced a defence of insanity, asserting that he suffered from paranoid schizophrenia at the time of the murders and was incapable of appreciating the nature and consequences of his actions. The defence presented psychiatric testimony in an attempt to support this claim.
However, the prosecution, led by Senior State Attorney Nana Ama Adinkra, challenged this defence, arguing that Appiah was fully aware of his conduct and had taken deliberate steps to conceal the evidence of his crimes — a factor they contended demonstrated clear intent and understanding. The jury accepted the prosecution’s arguments, deliberating for less than 20 minutes before returning a unanimous guilty verdict on both counts of murder.
Sentence and judicial determination
Following the guilty verdict, the High Court imposed a life sentence, the maximum penalty under Ghanaian law for murder following the abolition of the death penalty and its replacement with life imprisonment as the most severe custodial sentence. The life sentence underscores the court’s view of the gravity and societal impact of Appiah’s offences.
The sentence also reflects the culmination of a judicial process that spanned several years and involved detailed testimonies, forensic evidence, and psychiatric assessments to determine both culpability and criminal responsibility.
Public and official reaction
The murders and subsequent trial drew significant public attention and condemnation when the case first broke in 2021. Then Inspector General of Police Dr. George Akuffo Dampare personally visited Abesim following the arrest, emphasising the police’s commitment to apprehending and prosecuting the perpetrator. Families of the victims and residents of the Bono Region expressed deep grief and frustration at the brutal loss of the boys, and community members played an active role in the initial discovery of the crime.
The resolution of the case has now brought a measure of closure to the families, who endured nearly five years of uncertainty and trauma as the legal proceedings unfolded.
Broader context and legal implications
The Appiah case is one of the most heinous child murder cases in recent Ghanaian history and has highlighted several challenges within criminal justice processes, including issues related to psychiatric evaluations, jury deliberations, and the handling of evidence in high-profile homicide trials. The court’s decisive sentence reinforces the legal framework governing violent crime in Ghana and signals a firm stance against offences involving the abuse and killing of minors.
The verdict and sentencing also reaffirm Ghana’s shift away from capital punishment, with life imprisonment now serving as the maximum custodial sentence for the most egregious murders. This legal context ensures that offenders convicted of such serious crimes remain incarcerated for the bulk of their natural lives, aligning judicial outcomes with contemporary penal standards.
Richard Appiah’s conviction and life sentence mark a definitive end to a chapter of violence and grief that began with the tragic deaths of two young boys in Abesim. The High Court’s judgment acknowledges both the suffering inflicted on the victims’ families and the broader imperative of upholding justice and societal protection against violent crime.